We often link a good diet with physical health, but maintaining energy levels and getting the right nutrients are crucial for keeping the brain healthy too.
A nutritious diet plays a pivotal role in supporting mental well-being, and taking care of oneself properly can also help in coping with stress.
Here Cheryl Lythgoe, Matron at Benenden Health, shares her tips on how to support mental health through food.
Gut First
The gut’s significant role in mental health is due to the two-way communication via the gut-brain axis.
Recent research highlights how poor gut health can lead to poor mental health and vice-versa, underscoring the importance of eating foods that support overall gut health.
To promote gut health, it’s advisable to consume a variety of plant-based foods, aiming for 30 ‘plant points’ a week.
Each different type of vegetable, fruit, nut, seed, wholegrain, or legume consumed counts as one point. Probiotics like yoghurt, kefir, sauerkraut, and kimchi are great additions too.
Balance Blood Sugar Levels
While many enjoy a sweet treat now and then, too many sugary snacks or drinks can cause a sugar spike followed by a crash, often called ‘the carb crash.’
Swapping high-sugar snacks for slow-release carbohydrates found in wholegrain foods such as seeded or rye bread, brown pasta, oats, brown rice, quinoa, and sweet potatoes is beneficial.
Caffeine and alcohol can also cause fluctuations in blood sugar levels. It’s recommended to limit caffeine to a maximum of four drinks a day, finishing the last one before 4 pm. For alcohol, a limit of 1-2 units a day is suggested.
Increase Iron Intake
A lack of iron in the diet can lead to low oxygen levels in the blood, known as anaemia, resulting in lethargy, weakness, tiredness, and apathy.
To reduce this risk, eat plenty of iron-rich foods such as red meat, poultry, fish, tofu, beans, pulses, and fortified cereals.
Interestingly, mussels provide more iron gram for gram compared to steak. Also, avoid tea with meals as it can prevent the absorption of iron from food.
Eat More Fish
Omega-3 in the diet, either from oily fish or in the form of a daily supplement, has been shown to help alleviate symptoms of clinical depression.
Aim for three portions of oily fish a week or consider a supplement containing EPA and DHA.
For vegans, there are EPA/DHA supplements derived from algae, offering a plant-based omega-3 source.
Benenden Health members have access to mental health support 24/7. For more information, visit: Benenden Health Mental Health Support.